Draft Central Frontenac budget calls for 2.5% increase in levy

Jeff Green | Feb 25, 2015

Early this year, Central Frontenac Council gave township staff instructions to bring in a budget with an increase of no more than 2.5%. This translates to an increase of $158,465 in the levy, the total amount that Central Frontenac ratepayers will collectively pay this year in township taxes. Treasurer Michael McGovern prepared a budget that hit those numbers, and if Council ends up approving the draft budget that McGovern presented on February 20, all but $5,000 of the increase will be going to cover an increase in OPP costs.

As part of an effort to bring in a new funding formula, the OPP is billing most of the small rural townships more than previous years, and some larger towns such as Carleton Place and Smiths Falls are seeing a decrease.

The $153,807 increase in the bill for Central Frontenac ratepayers does not end this year. An equal increase is set for 2016, followed by a smaller increase in 2017, when policing costs in Central Frontenac will have risen to over $1.2 million per year.

The draft budget includes money for the completion of the $3 million plus upgrade to 5th Depot Road, which is covered by a grant from the province, as well as a $1.17 million project to eliminate the bridge over the former rail-line on Road 38 in Sharbot Lake that will be paid for by a federal grant if, as is expected, a federal grant is secured.

In terms of road projects being paid for entirely through taxation, the only roadwork that is included in the budget is a 1.3 kilometre stretch at the northern edge of Frontenac Road and the adjacent Mill Road that joins Frontenac Road with Mountain Grove, at a total cost of $388,000.

There is also $225,000 in the budget for a new tandem truck and $120,000 for a tractor/brusher mower.

The budget also includes $185,000 in taxation for a new fire hall in Parham, which is slated for construction this year, and $40,000 to complete a new ball field near Land O'Lakes Public School in Mountain Grove.

In sticking to a 2.5% increase, township staff have deferred a number of road projects. These include: $230,000 for work on Arden Road; $160,000 for Zealand Road; $20,000 for Medical Centre Road; and $208,000 for the stretch on Henderson Road between Highway 7 and the bridge over Kennebec Lake. These are listed as options in the budget, and if Council decides to do them all this year, the budget increase will balloon to 12.23%.

Council spent six hours last week going over the budget in detail without recommending changes, and the document will be back before them at their regular meeting on March 10. At that point they will have the opportunity to make revisions if they so choose.